Motor sled



G. E. WILLIAMS.

MOTOR SLED.

APPLICATION FILED APILZ, 1921.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

,Hmmm/ENTR UNITED STATES GRIFFITH E. WILLIAMS, oF CAMBRIA, WISCONSIN.

MOTOR SLED.

Application led April 2,

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, GRIFFITH E. WIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambria, in the county of Columbia and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Sleds, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to motor sleds, and particularly to the steering mechanism thereof.

The general object of my invention is to provide a steering mechanism, which mech anism is strong, quick, and particularly effective in guidingthe sled, and which will eliminate all sudden jerks and strains on the hands of the driver.

A furtherobject is to provide a construction-of this character in which forward and rear pairs of runners are pivotally connected to each other, and wherein the steering is accomplished by shifting both pairs of run. ners, thus securing a very easy steering movement and quick response to the steering action. l y

And a further object is to provide a mech anism of this kind in which the two pairs of steering runners, which are pivotally connected to each other, are operated by means of a cross bar pivotally connected to both pairs of steering runners, this cross bar in turn being operated by gearing so that it will require but a small amount of manual powerto be applied to the runners in order to shift them. p

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

, My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isa side elevation of the body and runners of a dirigible sled constructed in accordance with my invention; V

Figure` 2 is an under side plan view of the sledbody shown in Figure 1;

Y Figure 3 is asection on the line 3-48 of Figure, 1;

Figu-re 4 is a side elevation Vof the sled with the propelling mechanism thereon;

Referring to these drawings, 410 ,designates the body or platform yof a motor sled which is supported by front pairs of runners 11 and by rear pairs of runners 12.

.The front pair of runners is pivoted to a cross bar 13 which is rigidly connected to the platform or body 10 and the rear pair Specicatiou of Letters Patent. Patented FQILv 28, 1922.

1921. Serial No. 457,851`

of runners is pivotedy to a cross Vbar 14.`

which is pivoted to the platform by means of a pivot pin, bolt or equivalent element extending through a slot 15a. The adjacent ends of the runners are pivoted to each other. Thus, for instance, the rear runners 12 are shown as being provided with tongues 16, while the rear ends of the forward runners are shown as forked to receive said tongues, as` at 17. f Passing vertically through the knuckle Joint thus formed and through a laterally shiftablerack bar 18 are the pivot pins. bolts or other equivalent connecting devices 19. The rack bar 18 is formed with rack' teeth. 20, and engaging said rack teeth is a pinion 21 suitably supported upon the platform 10, and operatively engaging this pinion 21 isa relatively large gear wheel 22. This gear wheel 22 is .mounted upon a steering post 23 vwhich extends` downward through the body or platform yof the sled and is provided with a steering handle wheel of any suitable character.

It will be obvious now that when the steering post or shaft is rotated, rotation will be communicated to the pinion 21 and the cross bar 18 will be caused to shift laterally in a direction reverse to the direction of vmovement of the gear wheel 22. VThis will cause the connected ends of the runners to be shifted vlaterally inthe same direction as the cross bar so that the front and rear pairs of runners will be `angularly disposed with. relation to each other. and in such a direction as to cause the sled to steer toward the side toward which the steering `wheel is turned.y In other words, if the steering wheel be given a clockwise rotation, which is commonly called a rotation toward the right, the connectedends of the runners will be shifted toward the right and this will cause the sled to steer toward the right, and vice versa. The cross piece 13 is rigidlyy bolted tothe platform and this .prevents the sled from zigzagging as it .otherwise would tend to do. TheL sled is to be provided with propelling means of any suitable character, an engine or motor connected to the propelling means, and with a cap or body Yincluding a hood over the engine, a windshield, top, etc., as desired.

I do not wish to be limited to any particular manner of propelling the sled, nor to the particular construction of the cab, propellers, etc., this invention relating en-` tirely to the manner in whichthe runners are to be controlled for steeringmovement. By jointing the pairs of' runners at their' connected ends, there will be no tendency of-the runners to bob up and down independently of each otherdue to roughnesses in lthe road and the sled will not zigzag if it strikes an obstruction. By providing the vtwo pairs of runners pivotally connected to each other and providing means for shifting both runners so. that the front runner will be in angular relation to the rear runner when the sled is being steered to one side, I secure a much better steering actionthan is possible where only the forward runners or the rear runners are dirigible, as there is no tendency of the rear portion of the sled or of the rear runners to follow in a straight line when the forward runners have turned laterally.A The response to the steering movement is very quick and at the *sameA time the runners may be very accurately shifted by means of the gearing between the steering shaft and the runners. means'of this gearing strain on the steersman` is reduced and his arms are not-subjected to the jars and jolts as they would be were thesteering'shaft connected directly to the runners, and at the same time the runners `may be held more steadily in adjusted positions.

VI have illustrated a propelling mechanism Ysuch as that disclosed `in my Patent, #1,363,071, granted December 21, 1920on motor sleighs, but obviously the steering mechanism might be used with other forms of propelling mechanism. The propelling mechanism consists of propelling blades 24 mounted on supporting columns 25 vadjacent opposite ends of the sled, these propelling blades being driven by driving shaft-s connected to an engine disposed within the'cab or housing 26, the main driving shaftbeing v designated 27. A suitable gear shifting and clutch mechanism are provided for driving the propellers at differentspeeds or for disconnecting the engine from the`propellers or connecting it thereto. Suitable `brake mechanism may be also provided and antiskidding means', but I' have notv illustrated all these various instrumentalities inasmuch asV they are fully illustrated in 'my prior patent heretofore referred to.

'I :claimz-Y c .1. A sled or like vehicle including a body, a forward pair of runners operatiyely pivoted to the body intermediate their ends 'for oscillation 'in afhorizontal plane, a support pivoted to the body adjacent the rear'y end thereof for' oscillation in a `horizontal plane,-

a rear pair .of runners pivoted to the ends of said support intermediate the ends of the runners, pivotal connections between the rear Yends of the forward runners and the .forward ends of the rear runners, and manually Aoperablemeans for shifting the connect- Vbe oscillated in either direction beyond their median position.

2. A sled or like vehicle including a body,`

a forward pair of vrunners operatively pivoted to the body intermediate their ends forA oscillation in a horizontal plane, a support pivoted to the body adjacent the rear end thereof for oscillation in ahorizontal plane, a rear pair ofrunners pivoted to the ends of said support intermediate the ends of the runners, pivotal connections kbetween the rear ends `of the forward runners and the forward ends of the rear runners, a transversely shiftable bar pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the forward "and rear pairs of runners, and manually operable means vfor shifting said bar, and means lpermitting the runners to be oscillated in either direction beyond their median position.

\ 3. A sled 'or like vehicle includin a body, a forward pair of runners operative y ivoted to the body intermediate their en s for oscillation in a horizontal plane, a support pivoted to Vthe body adjacent the rearend thereof for oscillation in a horizontal plane, a rear pair of runners pivoted to the ends of said support intermediate the ends ofthe and said rack teeth, and means lpermitting the runners to be oscillated in either direction beyond their median position. 4; A yled or like vehicle having ya' body, a

brace eXtending across the forward portion of the body and'rigidly connectedv thereto, a

forward pair of runners pivotedintermediate their ends lto said brace for oscillation in a horizontal plane, a supportingmember mounted upon the body adjacent its rear end for movement in a horizontal plane toward l ,or from'the front runners, a rear pair of runners pivoted toltheendsl of said. supporting member, a rack bar having transverse movement, a pivotal connection between ,the rear A.

ends of the forward pair wofrunners and the forward ends of the rear pair of runners and `including pivot pins passing through'theextremities o fsaid rack-bane gear; wheel engaging the rackbar, and llilanually operable the machine.

means Afor rotating said gear wheel to Vsteer 5. A s led or lilre vehicle'having a body,a brace extending across the forward portion 0f the "body .and rigidly Connected thereto, a

forwardpalr of runners pvoted intermediate their ends' to said brace for oscillation in a horizontal plane, a Supporting member mounted upon the body adjacent its rear end for movement toward or from the forward runners in a horizontal plane, a rear pair of runners pivoted t-o th-e ends of said supporting member, a rack bar having transverse movement, a pivotal connection between the rear ends of the forward pair of runners and the forward ends of the rear rack bar, a gear wheel engaging said rack bar and having a relatively small diameter,

a relatively larger gear wheel, and a steering.

shaft connected to said gear wheels.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature.

GRIFFITH E. WILLIAMS.

-pair of runners and including pivot pins 10 

